Real Madrid emerged victorious from Bergamo against Atalanta to record their third win in the Champions League. It was a thrilling game, with five goals and plenty of end-to-end action, but Madrid know exactly how to handle this type of encounter. The visitors did so against a side who were unbeaten in their last 14 games. Mbappé, who left the pitch with a slight niggle before the break, gave Ancelotti’s side the lead with a wonderful goal, only for De Ketelaere to equalise from the penalty spot in first-half stoppage time. In the second half, Vini Jr and Bellingham brought the score to 1-3, but Lookman put the home side back in the ascendancy but the Italians were unable to break down the Madrid defence again.

Madrid started on the front foot at the Gewiss Stadium. The Whites recovered possession quickly with high pressing and also built up the play intelligently. This was demonstrated by a Brahim-Mbappé link-up that caused havoc, as they began to create some promising openings. The first came after just two minutes. A through ball from the Moroccan international found the Frenchman, whose effort from a slight angle was pushed away by Carnesecchi.

Mbappé scores fine goal
Real Madrid opened the scoring eight minutes later. Brahim laid the ball off on the edge of the area and Mbappé did the rest. His first touch took him past De Roon and his second was a clinical low finish into the bottom corner with his right foot. The Frenchman, who has now scored 12 goals this season and 50 in total in the Champions League, could have had a brace before the quarter-hour mark. Valverde’s long ball behind the defence sent the Frenchman clear and his shot from the edge of the area was brilliantly saved by the Atalanta goalkeeper.

Mbappé then pulled up and had to be replaced by Rodrygo in the 36th minute. And just when the half-time whistle was about to blow, Atalanta equalised in stoppage time after Tchouameni's foul on Kolasinac inside the area. De Ketelaere duly stepped up to convert the spot-kick. 1-1 at half-time, but Madrid started the second half with a vengeance and within three minutes they struck twice. The first came on 56' when Vini Jr. latched onto a loose ball inside the box off Ederson to fire across the keeper and into the bottom corner. Then Bellingham produced a beautifully executed second, beating De Roon with a nice piece of skill before firing into the net. The Englishman has now scored in six of his last seven games.

Plenty of emotion
The game was flowing at a furious pace, the ball was circulating at great speed from box to box, and Atalanta converted one of their chances to reduce the deficit with a goal from Lookman in the 65th minute. With the score at 2-3, Ancelotti's men had two chances in quick succession to put the game to bed. Brahim volleyed over in the 70th minute after the goalkeeper's weak clearance. Rodrygo's shot from the edge of the area was even closer, but his deflected effort ended up in Carnesecchi's hands. The European champions managed to hold on to earn an important victory and take three important points home.